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<title>Not Worthy by Beautiful_Doom</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24349636">Not Worthy</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beautiful_Doom/pseuds/Beautiful_Doom'>Beautiful_Doom</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sanders Sides (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Negative Thoughts, Roman needs a hug, Threats</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 08:34:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>836</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24349636</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beautiful_Doom/pseuds/Beautiful_Doom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Roman is so devastated by the events surrounding Janus's acceptance that it causes him to unknowingly duck out. <br/>An old familiar face arrives to take his place.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>63</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Not Worthy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It happened on the third day.</p>
<p>Roman had been spending most if not all of his time in his room. Patton was kind enough to leave trays of food outside for him, but Roman more pushed the food around than ate it. Every bite he shoved into his mouth felt like poison, but he didn’t want Patton to feel bad. He’d already failed Thomas, he didn’t want to fail Patton too.</p>
<p>The events that had happened kept playing in his head over and over again, and he kept trying to figure out where he’d gone wrong. He was the hero! He’d fought that villainous snake before. He’d won before, why had he lost now? How had he lost Thomas as well?</p>
<p>It wasn’t fair. </p>
<p>He was a prince. A hero. He should have won!</p>
<p>And now he was here wallowing in his own misery instead of showing strength to the others. Why couldn’t he get out of bed? Why couldn’t he go out there? Why did he feel so awful?</p>
<p>Was there even anyone left to speak to? To ask? They all seemed to be dancing to the snake’s tune now.</p>
<p>What was he supposed to do? He had no energy to do much, and Thomas was off doing who knows what...</p>
<p>“What are you doing?”</p>
<p>Roman flinched at the familiar voice. He sat up and looked over to see...</p>
<p>“King Julius...”</p>
<p>It was him! The original Creativity! King Julius!</p>
<p>“You’re here?” Roman shakily got to his feet. “You’re really here? But... how? I thought... you split. You split into me and Remus... I’m so glad you’re here!”</p>
<p>King Julius would know what to do. He would be able to set things right...</p>
<p>“I never left,” Julius said, towering over Roman, dressed in immaculate royal finery that made Roman’s clothes look like rags. “I’ve always been here. Did you think I was just going to leave and let you and your brother take over my job? Never.”</p>
<p>“I’ve always sought to do this job as well as you,” Roman said.</p>
<p>“And you failed.”</p>
<p>Roman felt as if a chunk of ice had slipped into his stomach. He gasped at Julius’s words, suddenly feeling as if he couldn’t breath, as if his skin was crawling with static...</p>
<p>“I... what? No, I-I did well!” Roman protested. “Have you seen the things I’ve done? All the help I’ve been to Thomas-”</p>
<p>“And yet you couldn’t defeat a simple snake,” Julius sneered. “You could never fill my shoes. You could never come close to even filling the heels of my shoes. You’re a failure, Roman. At least your brother is doing his job well. Small mercy there... but you? You failed when it mattered most, and I cannot let this continue.”</p>
<p>“Wh-what do you mean?” Roman asked. Had it suddenly gotten colder in his room? “I can try again! I’ll defeat the next time, I swear!”</p>
<p>“You’re out of chances, Roman,” said Julius. “A prince failed... and now it’s time for a king to step in. And you will be punished for your failure.”</p>
<p>Before Roman could protest, Julius reached forward and began ripping Roman’s clothes to pieces, snatching up the sash and the insignia, leaving the rest in pieces on the floor. Roman squirmed and tried to stop him, but Julius was far stronger than him. When the king was finished, Roman was wearing a dirty ratty shirt and pants. </p>
<p>Julius lifted the sash and patch, and they promptly burst into flame. Roman was too overwhelmed to scream, to say anything. He could only choke and wheeze in pure despair as he watched them burn to ashes. Tears flowed freely down his face, and he fell to his knees, scooping up the ashes as if he could fix them. </p>
<p>But he felt powerless now. He was powerless now. Julius had reclaimed the abilities that Roman, had leaving him with nothing.</p>
<p>“Julius, please!” Roman finally found his voice. “Please, give me another chance. I won’t fail again, I swear! I swear on my life!” He gripped Julius’s pant leg, sobbing heavily, but Julius pushed him away.</p>
<p>“How dare you touch a king, you filthy peasant!” Julius roared. “You are unworthy to be a prince. You are unworthy to be anything more than a pauper to grovel at my feet. You should thank me for sparing your life, for allowing you to continue living in this world. I would have every right to sever your head from your worthless body!”</p>
<p>Roman sobbed into the carpet, hands gripping his hair. It was over. It was really over.</p>
<p>“Now if you’ll excuse me,” Julius brushed some dust from his front. “I have to go see Thomas and slay a snake. You will stay here and await my return. If you behave... I may let you become my servant. Perhaps then you may have some worth in serving me...”</p>
<p>Roman was still crying when Julius left. He curled into a ball on the floor and wished Julius had carried out his threat of execution...</p>
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